Senior Systems Engineer – Fuel Cell Systems

Senior Systems Engineer – Fuel Cell Systems Status:
Exempt (Salaried) Department:
Fuel Cell Platforms - Systems Engineering Position Summary Plug is building the global hydrogen ecosystem. We are the only company delivering a complete hydrogen platform, from production and liquefaction to storage, delivery, and power generation. They are integrated, end-to-end solutions designed to make hydrogen work at industrial scale across regions, industries, and applications. The Senior Systems Engineer serves as the technical authority for systems architecture within Plug’s Hydrogen PEM fuel cell product development — translating customer requirements into system and subsystem architecture, owning requirement traceability through production release, and leading cross-functional teams through structured stage-gate development.

The ideal candidate brings deep systems engineering fundamentals, experience launching industrialized products in a regulated environment, and the ability to drive alignment across mechanical, electrical, controls, and software disciplines. Fuel cell experience is a plus; a track record of bringing complex power or energy systems from concept to production is the core requirement. This position reports to the Senior Manager of Systems Engineering – Fuel Cells Platforms and is located at our facility in Slingerlands, NY.

• Lead development of fuel cell system and subsystem architectures that satisfy customer requirements and business objectives; translating customer needs into verifiable system, subsystem, and component-level requirements
• Own requirement traceability (MBSE or document-based) from customer input through verification closure; manage system-level risk register throughout the product development lifecycle
• Define energy management architecture for hybrid fuel cell and battery systems based on customer load profiles, duty cycles, and application requirements; optimize power and energy sizing across fuel cell stack and battery
• Perform engineering trade studies and system-level analyses to evaluate design options, quantify performance margins, and support architecture down-selection decisions

• Serve as the systems engineering integration lead across mechanical, electrical, controls, thermal, and software disciplines; identify and resolve interface risks and requirement conflicts early in the design cycle
• Ensure system designs comply with applicable codes and standards including NFPA 2, SAE, ISO, and UL hydrogen and fuel cell requirements; support regulatory approvals and certification activities
• Lead cross-functional FMEA, hazard analysis, and risk mitigation efforts across fuel cell system and related subsystems; represent Systems Engineering at DFMEA and safety reviews

• Execute systems engineering activities within Plug Power’s stage-gate development framework, owning key milestones:
  Concept Freeze, Design Freeze, DV/PV, Pilot Build, and Production Release
• Lead root cause analysis and corrective action efforts for system-level issues; drive resolution across engineering, operations, and supply chain stakeholders
• Produce and maintain clear engineering documentation including system specifications, test plans, verification matrices, and design review packages; present technical trade-offs at gate reviews and program milestones

• Define and support system-level test plans and DVP&R aligned to customer use cases, duty cycles, and certification requirements; lead or support execution of system-level testing and data analysis
• Close the field reliability loop: analyze field performance data, warranty returns, and failure reports; translate findings into system-level requirements updates and design improvements
• Collaborate with Operations and Manufacturing Engineering on DFM, pilot build readiness, and production launch; support end-of-line test strategy development to ensure system performance is verified at volume

• B.S. or M.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Systems Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related STEM…